This morning we made our way to Granada airport to pick up our hired car. The plan was to drive ourselves through the Spanish countryside, overnighting in Ronda, Jerez and Cadiz, before returning the car in Seville. Being ever-prepared, I had duly printed out a route guide and detailed directions. However, no amount of preparation can prepare you for Spanish country roads...and the general lack of signage!
So, in order to lose yourself in the back roads of Andalucia, you must first try to drive through the town of Antequerra with its narrow winding roads and numerous one-ways. Oh, and you must do this in a left-hand drive car, and preferably keep to the right-hand side of the road.
Once, you've become completely disorientated in the maze of cobbled streets, try to find your way back out of Antequerra and locate the main road that you were on. Don't find your starting point, and now only decide to made use of Google Maps on your Blackberry.
The next step is to drive for at least an hour, travelling further and further from any signs of civilization. Oh, you can stop at a roadside restaurant and try to order lunch - definately opt for the house salad of tomatoe, potatoe, tuna, egg, green pepper and oranges!
You may still have a vague sense of where you are, and feel that you are headed in the right direction. At this point it is important to find the smallest back road possible, and drive for at least two hours into the mountains on roads that would make a mountain goat queasy. And try to remember to stay on the right-hand side of the road - the locals, when you do see them, really appreciate it!
By now, you should feel completely lost. (If you don't, you're not very good at following instructions!) You will need to make sure that you backtrack at least once, and you'll have to ensure that you reach at least one deadend at the very bottom of a mountain pass it has just taken 40 minutes to travel down.
At this point, just when a vague but definite sense of panic is setting in, you'll be rewarded for your daring with the most spectacular views and scenery. This, of course, must be a vista that none of the guide books have told you about - and you couldn't tell anyone else how to get there, because you don't know where you are or how you got there. And herein lies the beauty and the joy of getting lost in the back roads of the Spanish countryside - you may just see something beautiful, and the sight will all yours - unless of course you chose to share your pictures on your blog:
The real trick to getting lost lies in getting found. And luckily, we found Ronda with just enough time to spare for a stroll down through the main plaza, and glimpse of the surrounding valley, and a delicious dinner!
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